IN OUR OPINION

Job killer budget

Published: Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 8:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 8:47 p.m.

Gov. Rick Scott ran on a promise to reduce government and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. But after five months in office, he is doing just half the job.

On Thursday, Scott continued reducing state government in the friendly confines of The Villages as he signed what he ironically dubbed “The Jobs Budget,” the state’s $69.7 billion spending package for 2011-12. In doing so, the governor reaffirmed that he has a strange idea about how to resuscitate Florida’s ravaged economy.

Too much of the savings lawmakers — cheered on by the governor — carved out in this year’s state budget are just the things that Florida needs to be investing in to ensure a prosperous future.

Education. Infrastructure. Health care.

In signing the budget that was already $1.3 billion smaller than this year’s, Scott vetoed $615 million in projects and programs approved by the Legislature. It is a veto record, easily surpassing the previous one set by Scott’s predecessor, Charlie Crist, by almost $200 million.

Scott immediately took a shot at the Legislature for slipping in money for “the special interests” that he said were not necessary — special interests like our 11 state universities and the Everglades.

Besides the estimated 4,500 state jobs that were cut in the state budget process, the budget Scott signed also spells employment doom for tens of thousands of other Floridians. We can start with the $542 per student reduction in the K-12 funding that is likely going to lead to untold thousands of teachers and other school employees being laid off. In Marion County alone, 250 jobs have been eliminated for next year, and unless the county goes to a four-day week, there will be hundreds more.

Scott piled on public education’s losses on Thursday when he vetoed dozens of college and university construction projects worth tens of millions of dollars. Those projects, everything from roof repairs to new buildings, would have undoubtedly created thousands of sorely needed construction jobs.

Another job killer in this year’s budget is a $150 million raid on the state’s transportation trust fund. Instead of building and repairing highways and bridges and preparing for the economic recovery, the money will be shifted to other government programs. That means Florida’s already lagging transportation system will continue to fall behind, and an estimated 8,400 job opportunities will be missed.

Finally, Medicaid reimbursement rates to hospitals will be slashed by 12 percent, a total of $510 million, even though health care costs continue to climb. Rest assured, Florida’s hospitals depend heavily on Medicaid funding and it will be impossible for them to continue operating at current staff levels with that sort of revenue loss. How many jobs will be lost as a result of the Medicaid cut is unknown, but rest assured it will be significant enough to be felt in our hospitals and communities.

Scott’s signing ceremony on Thursday had an air of a victory celebration, complete with a partisan crowd and a triumphant speech by Scott. But what Scott signed was not just a budget, but pink slips for tens of thousands of Floridians and a mandate, yes, a mandate to continue under-investing in those institutions that are essential for Florida to evolve into the new 21st century economy — education, infrastructure and health care.

Scott has devoted his energies since taking office to reducing government in Florida. It is time he fulfill his promise to create instead of destroy jobs.

<p>Gov. Rick Scott ran on a promise to reduce government and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. But after five months in office, he is doing just half the job.</p><p>On Thursday, Scott continued reducing state government in the friendly confines of The Villages as he signed what he ironically dubbed “The Jobs Budget,” the state's $69.7 billion spending package for 2011-12. In doing so, the governor reaffirmed that he has a strange idea about how to resuscitate Florida's ravaged economy.</p><p>Too much of the savings lawmakers — cheered on by the governor — carved out in this year's state budget are just the things that Florida needs to be investing in to ensure a prosperous future.</p><p>Education. Infrastructure. Health care.</p><p>In signing the budget that was already $1.3 billion smaller than this year's, Scott vetoed $615 million in projects and programs approved by the Legislature. It is a veto record, easily surpassing the previous one set by Scott's predecessor, Charlie Crist, by almost $200 million.</p><p>Scott immediately took a shot at the Legislature for slipping in money for “the special interests” that he said were not necessary — special interests like our 11 state universities and the Everglades.</p><p>Besides the estimated 4,500 state jobs that were cut in the state budget process, the budget Scott signed also spells employment doom for tens of thousands of other Floridians. We can start with the $542 per student reduction in the K-12 funding that is likely going to lead to untold thousands of teachers and other school employees being laid off. In Marion County alone, 250 jobs have been eliminated for next year, and unless the county goes to a four-day week, there will be hundreds more.</p><p>Scott piled on public education's losses on Thursday when he vetoed dozens of college and university construction projects worth tens of millions of dollars. Those projects, everything from roof repairs to new buildings, would have undoubtedly created thousands of sorely needed construction jobs.</p><p>Another job killer in this year's budget is a $150 million raid on the state's transportation trust fund. Instead of building and repairing highways and bridges and preparing for the economic recovery, the money will be shifted to other government programs. That means Florida's already lagging transportation system will continue to fall behind, and an estimated 8,400 job opportunities will be missed.</p><p>Finally, Medicaid reimbursement rates to hospitals will be slashed by 12 percent, a total of $510 million, even though health care costs continue to climb. Rest assured, Florida's hospitals depend heavily on Medicaid funding and it will be impossible for them to continue operating at current staff levels with that sort of revenue loss. How many jobs will be lost as a result of the Medicaid cut is unknown, but rest assured it will be significant enough to be felt in our hospitals and communities.</p><p>Scott's signing ceremony on Thursday had an air of a victory celebration, complete with a partisan crowd and a triumphant speech by Scott. But what Scott signed was not just a budget, but pink slips for tens of thousands of Floridians and a mandate, yes, a mandate to continue under-investing in those institutions that are essential for Florida to evolve into the new 21st century economy — education, infrastructure and health care.</p><p>Scott has devoted his energies since taking office to reducing government in Florida. It is time he fulfill his promise to create instead of destroy jobs.</p>